Firing mechanism of breech-loading ordnance.



A. T. DAWSUN & G.`T. BUGKHAM.

PIRING MEGHANISM 0F BRBEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1911.

1,-1 16,392. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.y

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. IZ'QT.

THE NORRIS PETERS Co.. PHorodJ'rHo., WASHINGTON. o, cv

A. T. DAWSON & G. 'I'. BUGKHAM.

FIRING MEGHANISM OP BEEECH LOADING ORDNANCE.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 2o, 1911.

1,1 16,392. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

YH 'i MORRIS PETERS CO., PH0110 LIT), i. WASHIN'; TUN. D. c.

TED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

ARTHUR TEEVOR DAWSON END 'GEORGE .THOMAS BUOKHAM, 0F wEsTMINsTEE,

LONDON, ENGLAND, AssrGNoEs To vroKEEs LIMITED, or wEsTMINsTEE, ENG- LAND.

FIRING MECHANISM OF BEREICH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed July 2o, 1911. serial No. 639,488.

Firing Mechanism of Breech-Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the firing mechanism'of breech-loading guns. y lVile have already devised a combined electric and percussion lock, thev striker of which is underv the influence of acocking-and firinglever andis slightly retracted into a `safe position during the first movement of the block actuating crank, by a portion of the latter' cooperating with the cooking and firing lever, the cooking and release of the striker when firing percussively being effect ed through the intervention of va transverse shaft having a member so situated in rela? p tion to'two arms mounted on separate spindles that the rotary movement of thetransy verse shaft in one direction cocks the striker through one of the saidarms and movement of the transverse shaft 1n the reverse direction releases the striker through the other of the said arms. y v

lVe now propose to dispense with the ne` cessity for moving the shaft in two directions for cooking and releasing the striker, and to eect the cooking and releasing by Aone movement of a cooking and firing lever working on the slip-lock principle. For this purpose the said .cooking and firing lever may be mounted on the same axis pin with a tripping lever, the former being loose andr the latter keyed thereon. The tripping lever has pivoted near its free end a tripping piece furnished with two arms one of which engages with a notch or groove in the cooking and firing lever and the other with a stationary surface on the case inclosing the firing mechanism.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan (partly in section) of the breech end of a gun provided with'our improved firing mechanism. Fig. 2 isy an enlarged view of apart of l,F ig. l showing i more clearly theiring mechanism.` Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the breech of the gun with the mechanism in the iredposition. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken approximatelyon the line 1-1 ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 4, and Figs. G and '7 are enlarged views showing parts of the firing mechanism in the position they Occupyin Fig. t and Fig. 3 respectively.

A is the breech end of the gun, B the breech block, C the breech .actuating hand lever, C the crankfor moving the breech block and C?v the actuatingspindle.

E is the striker of the firing mechanism,l c the insulated electric needle, Ex the cooking and firing-lever, `CXthe cam surface on the crank C. for engaging with the cooking and firing lever` Extoretract the striker, and E is the rotary transverse shaft for cooking and releasingy the striker.

The detachable lock casing F` containsthe firing leverl EX, the tripping lever E2, the tripping-piece efpivoted thereto, the main lspring FX, the striker E- and the-electric needle e together withl the electrical c0nnections therefori.` The shaft E is' provided atits outer end withfa iring'arm E? and at its inner end with a firing cam or lever e2 which is iii-engagement with an in guide member @4in which is disposed a lever c5 connected to the axis pin E5 to which the tripping lever E2 is keyed and on which the cooking and firing lever EX is loosely mounted. l

The parts of the firing mechanism normally occupy the position shown in Figs. 3,

4, 5 and 6. l/Vhen the firing arm E3 and its shaft E are operated to fire the gun percus sively a corresponding movement is imparted to the firing and tripping lever axis pin E5 through the medium of the leversk e2, e3 and e5. This movement of the said axis pin actuates the tripping lever E2 which as above stated is keyed thereto. The arm e6 Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the tripping piece e" carried by the said lever E2, by its engagement in the notch or groove E in the cock*4 ing and firing lever Ex imparts to the latter the angular movement necessary to cock the striker. Y During thismovement the other arm eT of the tripping piece e is prevented from moving by the engagement of a lateral .85 termediate firing lever e3 carried by a spin I die E4.' The said spindle is formed with a projection es With thel part f 7) i lock case F, With the result that the-arm eo l ofthe tripping piece is gradually displaced y Figs. l, 2 and 7 Owing tothe fact that it said firing lever flies forward with the l0-` from its notch or groove E6 in the cooking and firing lever during the retraction of the latter until it becomes liberated as shown in is looselymounted" on the axis pinE, the

striker under the influence ofthe main spring" FX to fire the gun. rIhe said main Vspring by its engagement --With the tripping leverE2 also causes the latter and the partsV Y connectedv thereto to assume their normal 1.5 l

position. f u v Vha-t We claim andjdesire to secure by Letters Patent of theUn'ited States is l. In firing mechanism for ordnance, the

combinationvvith the strikerv and the 'spring y :zo

controlled cooking and firing lever connected thereto, of a rocking shaft, a tripping lever, means for connecting said shaft to the tripping lever, and a tripping piece pivotally mounted on said'lever and engaging with the cooking and 'fi-ring vlever.-

" 2. In firing mechanism for ordnance, the

y i combination with the strikerand its firing flever, of a rocking shaft, `aA tripping lever, lan axis pin on Which the firing lever ispiv- With theiring'lever. y

3. In firing mechanism for ordnance, thel combination with the striker and'its firing lever, of `a rocking shaft, a tripping lever,

tripping lever to the axis pin, means for an axis pin on which the firing lev-er is pivoted, means for rigidly connecting the said K connecting said rocking shaft to the axis y pin, and a tripping piece pivotally` mounted on the tripping lever and engagingvvith a notch in the firing lever. y

4.In firing mechanismvfor ordnance, the p combination With the striker and lever, of a rocking shaft, a tripping ilever,

an axispin on which the iring'- lever is piv.

oted, means for rigidly connectinggthesaid, tripping lever Ato the axis pin, means. for

connecting'said rocking shaft tothe axis pin,` and a two armed tripping'.y ie'ce pivotally mounted on the trippingever,A one am of which tripping P160@ engages with, a notch in the ring lever;

lever,l ofy al rocking"shaft', aftripping leven-, l"

anaxis pin on which thefirin'glever is pi'v# oted, means Vfor-rigidly connecting the;`said tripping lever to they axisfpix'nneansf for connectingfsaid rocking shaft. to fthe pin, 'and `a tvvor armed'tripping piece pivl' otally-mounted on the'tripping lever, one

With a fixed surface.

6. In firing mechanism for '0rdn`z'inc`e ,'theV combination with a `striker and f'itsvring levenof a rocking'shaft, ajtripping levenjj an axis'pin on which the firing levergis :piv-' oted,-rneans for rigidly connecting'` the said f trippingllever tothe axis'pin, aplevergon' one end of said shaft, a transversely arranged l spindle, an intermediate firing'lever on onef,

end of said spindle, a guide member on the' other end of the said spindle, ajlever` e111-,

` gaging'with said, guide member l`andcon` nected to the axis pink carrying the trippin leverand the firing lever,andfa twoarme tripping.v piece pivotally mountedon the f tripping lever, onevarm `of, Which tripping r piece engages With a notch inthe firing lever p i 85,. In testimony whereof We afiix our vpsigna.-k y

andthe other arm Withv aufi'xed surface.

tures in lpresence of tWo Witnesses.

ARTHUR rREvOR DAWSON."`

GEORGE THOMAS RUOKHRM: n f

Witnesses: y f 'HENRY KING, Y SLN. BROWN.

(opies` of this patent may he obtained for `five cents` each, byaddressing the i (Jammissione!l of Patenti, 'I

Washington, '.D. C. t

65' arm of Which tripping piece engageSWi-thgg notch in the firing lever andthe `other alim y 

